Slayers: Alone
by xAyaxSayuriX
Summary: Set exactly two months after Slayers Next. Lina suddenly disappears overnight, leaving a note for Gourry. What will Gourry do now? Find her, of course. SEVERE L/G A/Z. Rated T for strong language. Rating subjected to changer further into the story.
1. Paranoia

Hello my readers. It has been a while since I'm posted anything on Fanfic, on my old account. But this is my return! With a brand new Slayers fic! XD After reading so many other ones, I have to write my own. So here we go. Ignore my horrible spelling by the way, I'll try to make myself as understandable as possible. Thanks guys! Reviews are appreciated.!

:-:-:-:

God how long had this hell been going on for? A week? Two months? Time seemed irreivant now that she was gone. Then again, time spent with her always seemed to fly by. How long was he with her before? Two years? The reality of it was that in those two years, he'd never been happier in his life. He had a purpose back then; he lived to protect her. At least, that's how it started. But it seemed to have turned into something more then that... At least, in his mind. Though he'd never admit it to her, the fact that he was starting to feel more for the young, fiery Sorceress. How could he? He was almost one hundred percent sure she didn't feel the same for him. After all, she did run away from him, not even two weeks after the ordeal with Hellmaster. Which prompted the question, why was he even doing this? Chasing after her, when in all reality, she was going to reject him and run away?

Simple.

He made her a promise. He would always protect her. And Gourry Gabriev didn't break a promise. Until the day, she physically told him to leave her the hell alone, he would follow her to the ends of the world.

So as he traveled down the dirt road, his hung low in thought, his hands dug deeply into the pocket, clutching the note she left him tightly. That note...

I'm sorry.

That's all it said. I'm sorry. He didn't know what that was supposed to mean, all he knew was that she was gone.

For countless nights he would lie awake, thinking, wondering why. Why was she sorry? For what? Did she do something and he didn't catch it? No. That wasn't possible. The only time she was separated from her was when Hellmaster kidnapped him. But even then, the only thing she'd done was blow up some bandits, and possibly Sylphiel. And neither of those were enough to make her run. Killing bandits was what Lina loved to do the most. It was highly unlikely her conscience would kick in now, after how many years of killing the brutes? And Sylphiel? It was hard to say. There didn't appear to be any secret resentment for the Shrine Maiden. So what could it have been?

The idea that maybe she just didn't want to be near him anymore had often crept into his mind before, but even if that was the case, he would still find her. He had to know why. Why did she leave? And if he'd done something to make her leave, how could he fix it?

While the blonde swordsman pondered these questions, he hadn't realized he was being followed. The dirt path was a long and lonely one without the young girl to lecture him on simple things and then bat him in the head every time he would ask her to repeat herself. And he'd been walking down this path since dawn, when the sun rose just above the surrounding trees.

After a few moments, Gourry finally stopped, glancing up at the sky, surprised to find the sun was already setting behind the trees.

"I've been walking this long?" He mumbled to himself, raising his left hand to his forehead, underneath of his blonde bangs, a deep frown sculpted onto his lips. Casually his hand fell, and for the first time all day, he noticed how dark the forest really was. And then he noticed the swift movement between bushes, and his hand instinctively moved to his sword. Monsters? Hardly. Monsters didn't bother with a simple human like him anymore. It seemed the Sword of Light wasn't as interesting as it once was before. Probably because the young Sorceress with the power of the Lord of Nightmares was running around, alone. It was quite obvious who the more 'interesting' prey was. He had to rip the idea from his mind quickly, or else the fear that she might need him would cloud his mind, and leave his wide open. So when the sound of movement suddenly became closer, he was able to rip his sword out of its stealth, and hold it defensively in front of him, as he blue eyes darted around the surrounding area swiftly.

"Who's there?" He growled darkly, his eyes narrowing darkly as they drifted "Show yourself!"

Then the movement came from behind him rather fast. But not fast enough. He spun around viciously with a loud war cry, his blue eyes scanning the area swiftly for the origin of the noise. But the only thing he found was a small grey rabbit, peering its small head up at him from underneath of a large green bush, watching him with fearful eyes. Instantly the anger and adrenaline that had boiled up within him had subsided, and he sighed, realizing how much of a fool he'd just made himself out to be.

"Wow." He mumbled to no one in particular, considering no one was around to hear him. "I really must need some sleep…"

He glanced around once more, paranoia beginning to fill his mind. The un-nerving feeling that something was still out there, watching him couldn't be shaken, but then again, wasn't paranoia something that made you fear things that weren't really there?

Who knew. More importantly, who cared? Gourry sighed softly, bidding his legs forward down the pathway, allowing his mind to focus on a more optimistic view of things, like how when he finally did find Lina, he would ask her what the exact definition of paranoia was. That was, if he even remembered it.

This idea seemed to bring his weary mind away from the grimmer aspect of things, and place a small smile on his face. It made the paranoia vanish too, and the walk down the road shorter. It was not long after that he found himself in the closest town, having left behind the little incident with the rabbit in woods. He'd almost completely forgotten about the rabbit, and how angry he'd gotten by the noise. Even the grim thoughts that settled into his mind not hours prior seemed to vanish underneath of the bustling life of the small town, as the townsfolk began to retreat into they're homes as dusk began to settle. A smile rose to Gourry's lips once more as he thought of the nearest Inn he could find. He knew he had enough gold to get him a two night stay. And that was all he needed. Two days of rest and back out on the road he would go. Besides, he might be able to pick up some information to the whereabouts of his lost Sorceress. With a strange new optimism, he continued into the town, scouting the nearest Inn. He had no idea what the future days would hold for him.

Welp, here she is! Zeh first chapter! I hope you like it. Review and let me know what your thinking.


	2. A New Journey

Haii! XD. Yeah, I know the last one was a bit short. But I promise this one will be a little longer! XD Introductions can be such a bore to write. I love the action-y romance that's sure to come. XD

Oh, was that a spoiler?

Who knows. You'll have to read and find out. And remember.

Reviews are loved.

Oh, and here's some Ameladis (I dunno what else to call it) for all you Zel and Amelia lovers. Hope I please you all.

* * *

"Oh, I wonder how and are doing…" The young, justice loving Princess of Seyruun, Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun sighed with boredom as she leaned against one of the many windows that lined the walls of the Castle she and her father, Prince Philionel lived in. It had been only two and a half weeks since the group split up as it once did before; and leading off together probably to cause more reckless trouble within the region, while ran off alone, leaving Amelia here, at this boring castle. The young princess was so lost in thought, she barely heard the servant standing not two feet from her, calling her name.

"Princess Amelia?" The young brunette asked her, addressing her title, instead of just . "Princess, your father has summoned you to the Throne room."

Amelia sighed. Probably another boring meeting talking about Seyruun's current financial state or whatever. Not like she paid attention. Half the time those meeting occurred Amelia was daydreaming about fighting for justice alongside the others. About being free of the almost binding castle walls once more, able to journey all around the land. Able to stand by Mr. Zelgadis' side….

Amelia blinked, as a furious shade of red began to adjourn her face. Where in the Lord of Nightmare's name did that come from? Trying her best to hid her face from the servant, she spun around, mid-bow.

"T-thank you!" She squeaked, a pitch too high as she stuttered. "I'll be there shortly-"

"Princess." The servant tried once more, "Your father said this matter is urgent and demanded your presence right away."

Amelia's eyes darted up to meet the woman's with a curious worry. Urgent? Her father's summonings were hardly ever urgent. Now she was beginning to worry. Immediately she thanked the servant, and slid by her, starting down the vast hallway, thousands of thoughts running through her head.

What could it have been? Surely there were no wars beginning. At least she hoped not. As much as she would have loved to throw away the pink, ruffled dress she was now wearing and don her old traveling garments, she knew it would be for the wrong reasons. And it would only mean that she would soon have to return to the castle and wear it once more. Not that she didn't like the pretty dresses she wore when on official matters, or the tiara's that often held sapphires that glistened with her eyes. It was just… ever since meeting , , and , she found herself wishing for a more… adventurous life.

"Oh Amelia…" She began to mutter to herself, as she approached the throne room, "What has your life become?"

The throne room doors were shut, obviously meaning Prince Philionel was in some type of meeting. "Great." She muttered to herself as she laid a dainty hand upon the large doors, pushing gently to open them, "Well, here I go…"

As the doors opened she straightened her back, allowing herself to fall back into the role of Seyruun's Ambassador as she once did. With her chin held high, she folded her arms against the bottom half of her dress, and walked in as gracefully as she could.

"Father." She called into the vast Throne room, "I-"

The words were taken right from her mouth as she laid eyes upon her father and the man he was talking with. Though his back was to her, she immediately knew who it was who wore the tan, tethered hood whenever he was in public. She felt her heart leap out of her chest, unable to pry her eyes from him as Prince Philionel nodded on reply to something the man said, before noticing Amelia in the back of the room.

"Daughter!" He cried, his voice booming through out the Throne Room, bringing all of the attention to her. She felt the heat rise to her face as He turned around to face her. She knew who it was even before their eyes meant. But it didn't stop the thumping in her chest when she caught his eyes in her own. A smile twitched on the edges of her mouth, but she remained passive, on the outside anyway.

"What a pleasant surprise." She said with her best voice, "I didn't expect to see you here so soon …"

His voice caught in his throat. He couldn't seem to grasp the words he was just about to say. She looked beautiful in that dress, completely stunning. He found himself thanking L-sama for his Chimera skin; it hid the heat that rose to his face nicely. But he recovered himself quickly, allowing himself to slip back into the 'Heartless Swordman's Guise.' But at the same time, he had to maintain some sort of emotion, seeing as the reason he was here was quite a troublesome one.

"The same to you Princess." Zelgadis said, and he held back the urge to laugh as she shot him a quick glare, hating it when her friends addressed her that way.

"What brings you here?" She asked, her shocked expression biting at him in a way it never had before. Had she not wanted to see him? The thought brought a sudden depression into him. Why wouldn't she?

Then the reality hit that he was a monster. A monster in her home. Of course she didn't want to see him. Hadn't they just departed not weeks before? He had to get a hold of himself before he allowed this crazy array of irrelevant ideas to control him. It wasn't like he'd ever had a relationship with her, so these crazy ideas were simply… a lone man's dreams. So quickly he straightened himself, trying his best to avoid getting caught in her gaze.

"Lina." He said with a grim tone, and immediately Amelia's face fell into a horrified worry.

"W-what's wrong!?" She demanded, approaching him quickly. She stopped but inches away from him,, her brilliant blue eyes bearing up into his with total concern. He acted oblivious to the sudden amount of space that she left in between them. The edges of her dress were just about touching his dirty boots. As nonchalantly as he could he stepped away from her, bowing his head.

"Lina's… left Gourry." He said, knowing that to someone who didn't know the pair as well as Amelia and he did, it would seem like a simple sentence. But it was obvious she understood immediately the urgency of the situation, because her jaw dropped, causing her delicate hands flying up to cover her gaping expression.

"She… WHAT!?" Amelia demanded in a shrill voice.

It seemed Prince Philionel also understood what was going on.

"But Mr. Zeldagis…" The Prince of Seyruun said, his large black eye brows pushed together in thought, "Didn't you all split up after the incident in Seyruun? Are you sure…?"

"As much as I would like to deny what I'd heard and say they were together… I cannot." Zelgadis replied, crossing his arms over his chest, "In my travels… I ran a crossed Syphiel. She was helping in the reconstruction of Sairaag. Immediately she came to me and told me she had just seen Gourry not three or four days before. She told me that Lina was not with him, and that whenever she would ask about where she was, he would simply say 'I have to find her.' She said he spoke as if hadn't slept in days, and he didn't have much of an appetite…" He trailed off, allowing the information to sink in to them.

Once more Prince Philionel was the first to speak.

"Did you try to go after him?" He asked.

Zelgadis shook his head solemnly. "No. I came here immediately, hoping maybe Lina had dropped by here…"

"So… Ms. Lina is missing?!" Amelia asked, her voice low, making her almost sound like a child. "T-that can't be? Why would she just leave like that? And not tell Mr. Gourry where she is going!?" She held her hands together, her confused eyes darting between her father and Zelgadis.

"I wish I knew…" Zel admitted, allowing his shoulders to slump a bit. A few moments of awkward silence passed by before Amelia spoke in a small voice.

"…Do you think it had something to do with what happened in Sairaag?" She asked cautiously, as if she were afraid to mention it aloud. Zelgadis frowned, bowing his head in thought.

Another few minutes of silence passed by, before finally Zelgadis looked up. His expression indifferent, he spoke causally.

"There's really only one way to find out." He said curiously, wondering if Amelia might take his bait as she usually did before.

He couldn't help smile when her eyes lit up, and she nodded. But then they darted to her father.

"Daddy…" She said, "May I-?"

"Daughter!" Phil's voice boomed so loudly Zelgadis was sure that the townsfolk below had heard them and then some. For a moment, he was sure that Phil was going to deny her the right to leave, and send Zelgadis on his merry little way… to find Gourry and/or Lina on his own. But the moment the word exploded from his mouth, a grin lit up his face.

"What a silly question you ask me! Of course you may go to find Ms. Lina! I would not allow you NOT to go!" He said, and Amelia let out a large sigh of relief.

"Thank you daddy!" Amelia said, rushing over and embracing him quickly, before letting go and turning to Zel.

"If you wouldn't mind waiting for me down in the Courtyard… I'll be out in a moment." She said, a bright smile adjourning her face as she nearly sprinted off for her room. Silently Zelgadis bid his good byes to Phil, heading for the Courtyard, all the while trying to hid an over joyous smile that threatened to give away his uncaring misdemeanor.

"Are you quite done?" Zelgadis asked the young princess as she bounded over to him, grinning as she stopped but a few feet away.

"You know, it's been quite a while since I've last worn these clothes." She said, pulling at the edge of her tan tunic, flattening out the wrinkles.

"…Amelia it's been about two weeks…" Zelgadis stated, resulting in Amelia's blushing.

"So what!" Amelia snapped indignantly, "When your stuck inside of that ridiculous castle, it seems like an eternity."

Zelgadis smiled, shaking his head as the young princess began for the castle gates, watching as she bounced off of the balls of her feet with every step she took. It took his completely off guard when she suddenly turned, heading for the horse stables.

"W-what are we doing?" Zelgadis asked, watching as she headed right into the stables and over to a beautiful white stallion. She said nothing as she stroked it's nose affectionately, heading over to the small section where the saddles and bridles were kept.

"Amelia." Zelgadis called her name as she disappeared into the equipment section, waiting a few minutes before rushing over to her as she staggered with two full sets of equipment. He grabbed a saddle and bridle from her, and frowned as she grinned up at him.

"Amelia…" He said in a tired voice, "What are you thinking?"

"Well… I figured we should start where we last saw Ms. Lina and Mr. Gourry headed together; for the town east of Sairaag. It will take us atleast several days to get there on foot… so, I figured horses would be easier… I okay-ed it with Daddy, so we should be…" Her voice seemed lost as he felt the heat rise to his face again. How was he supposed to tell her he hadn't ridden a horse in years? …Or atleast, not since he was human.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he barely noticed Amelia waving a hand in front of his face.

"Mister Zelgadis…? She said in a sing-songy voice, "Mister Zelgadis… if you don't want to ride them, we can always-"

"No! No! No!" Zel replied a little too quickly, going over to a rather large looking black stallion and setting his own gear own beside the majestic creature's quarters.

"That's a good boy." He said, reaching a hand up towards the creature's snout, hoping to establish a relationship with it before he dared to climb it's back.

But he froze as the creature laid dark black eyes upon him, watching him as if he were calculating how hard he would have to work to make Zel's ride a living hell. Zelgadis could already see the journey ontop of this horse... a long, and painful one.

"Great." Zelgadis muttered underneath of his breath, casting a glance over at Amelia who was almost done saddling the white stallion she had claimed, "This is going to be fun…"

* * *

Mep. Sorry, no Gourry OR Lina in this one. XD

You guys will have to bear with me on the whole time thing… I'm having technical problems right now and I try my damndest (if that's even a word. XD) to update for you all. So I hope you enjoy. X3

More coming soon. I promise.

Reviews are adored.


	3. Belief

Hey guys. I apologize for my last chapter. ^^;; A bit sloppy I know. But I promise this one will be better. X3 If not I think one of you are likely to Dragon Slave my ass soon.

Oh, and thanks you for all of the helpful reviews! I really appreciate the advice I'm getting. =)

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"Darkness beyond Twilight…

…Crimson beyond blood that flows…"

They were getting closer now, surrounding them.

"Buried in the stream of time…

…Is where your power grows…"

She stood strong, determined. No would beat her, she would simply not allow it. She would not allow them to see her fear, her weakness.

"…I pledge myself to concur…

…All the Foes that stand…

…Before the mighty gift bestowed…

…In my unworthy hands…"

They were strong, and so many of them, all following under one lead. All having one primary target; her. All wanted to rip her delicate body to shreds.

"Let the fools who stand before me, be destroyed…"

Her spell was almost complete; she was going to make it out okay, back to his arms, where he would keep her safe for the rest of his life. Tell her everything, without regret, and never let her go again.

"By the power you and I poss-"

She never got to finish. Her eyes went wide, her body jerked. Her mouth hung open with shock, before she let out a painful scream. She fell forward, blood pouring from her upper back, around where her heart was. Behind her, stood a man surrounded by shadows. The only thing visible was the flash of his triumphant grin.

"LINA!" Gourry shouted his body shooting upwards as he awoke from his nightmare. He was drenched in his own sweat, his hair pressed against his body. His hands were shaking as he ran them through his bangs, hoping to pry them from his sweat-soaked face.

It was only a dream… a nightmare. And yet he still couldn't shake the fear, the pain from his mind. He glanced outside the window, taking notice to the sun rising. It couldn't be that late if the sun was just rising now… Why not get an early start? He did have a lot of ground to cover…

So silently he got up, his body still trembling slightly, as he went over to his freshly cleaned clothes. Once he was dressed, and his armor was strapped on, he grabbed the Sword of Light from the chair it was leaning against, strapping it to his hip as usual. He walked out of the sleeping tavern, leaving a gold piece as a tip. The road was silent, and the air held a nice cleansing crisp to it.

As he walked, his mind was too preoccupied with the nightmare to realize he was being followed. And it was too late when the large, seven foot monster attacked, coming almost from no where and striking his from the shadows.

"Huh!?" Gourry got the chance to ask before large claws meant his face, drawing three lines a crossed his right cheek, before thrusting him backwards. He landed on his backside, at first, taken back by the sudden attack. But when his eyes landed on the wolf-like creature that stood on two legs, immediately his mind switched to offensive, and he shot to his feet, drawing out the Sword of Light with him. He knew he'd seen something like this before… while he was traveling with Lina two years back... Subconsciously he raised his hand to his face, where blood began to dribble down from the wounds left by the claw marks. Damn it how did this keep happening? Anger began to boil in his chest, fueling his adrenaline. With a loud war cry he leapt at the creature blindly, taken back when it slammed a massive clawed paw into his chest, flinging him backwards. Once more he landed roughly on his back, slamming his head roughly against the ground, disorienting him for a few moments.

"Ugghhh…" Gourry mumbled, sitting up slowly, grabbing around his blindly for the Sword of Light. But his hand touched a large patch of fur, and he instantly froze.

Standing before him, the mighty creature let out a low growl. Gourry glanced up at the creature with wide eyes, struck with fear.

But it wasn't the fact he was looking his own death in the eyes right now that struck him with an almost paralyzing fear.

It was the fact this might really be the end, and after this, he might never see Lina again.

"No." He muttered, his eyes narrowing as the creature let out a loud howl, holding its hands away from its body.

Not yet. Now now… She was still out there, waiting for him to come for her….

The creature glanced down at him, eyes hungry for his flesh, before it launched down at him, intending to tear him apart-

-Before suddenly, someone was standing right behind him, striking the creature with a powerful blow; so powerful, it knocked it back a good fifteen feet.

"Wha-?!" Gourry began, before he realized his long golden hair was whipping around him wildly, being carried by a strong gust of wind.

But the wind outside tonight was no where near this strong, so how the hell was it pulling at his hair like this?

Before he finally realized what had truly happened, the Sword of Light was dropped onto his lap. With wide eyes he glanced up at the man standing behind him, for once, happy to see the ridiculous straw hat he wore.

"Long time, no see Gourry Gabriev." The swordsman, (and king of the future Kingdom of Zoana) Zangulus said with a coy smirk.

"Z-Zangulus!?" The blonde swordsman asked, unable to hide the utter shock, (and joy) to see his former foe. "What are you doing here!?"

"I hardly think this is the time for that…" Zangulus frowned nodding to the monster, as the large wolf-like creature stood on its hind legs, letting out another loud howl, glaring darkly at the two men.

"Oh, you're right." Gourry said, getting to his feet quickly, holding the Sword of Light firmly in his hand once more. "I guess we'll talk later then?"

Zangulus merely smirked, nodding his head as he readied his sword. Gourry mimicked him in this action, waiting for Zangulus to give the signal. When he did, both men charged the creature, easily slaughtering it.

When its blood soaked corpse lied on the ground, remaining motionless for the next several minutes, finally both men relaxed the tense muscled in their bodies, lowering their weapons.

"Almost like old times…" Gourry commented, trying to hide the bitter tone behind the words. Unfortunately for him, Zangulus could not be fooled so easily.

"Hardly." He said, vouching against the direct attack and choosing a more evasive one, "My memory clearly tells me you were in that creature's position a few times before."

Gourry cast Zangulus a side glance, shaking his head with a smock grin.

"Really, because I'm pretty sure I was the one who beat you before…" He said and Zangulus smirked, shaking his head.

"Possibly… But who's to say I didn't let you win?"

"You, when I didn't kill you." Gourry shot back, and Zangulus blinked.

"Wow, you've sure become sharper since I've seen you last." He said, and Gourry blinked, confused by his words.

"Lina been training you?" He asked with a teasing grin, but that grin quickly faded as all of the color seemed to drain from Gourry's face, his eyes loosing all sparkle to them as he bowed his head.

"…Ey, Gourry…?" Zangulus said, placing a hand on Gourry's massive shoulder guards, hoping to bring him back from whatever it was that had made him appear so sickly. But it did not work.

"…I think we have a bit of catching up to do…" Zangulus mumbled, and Gourry shook his head, quickly pulling from Zangulus' grip, turning his back to him.

"…I have get going." Gourry said, heading off for the nearest exit.

But a rather bouncy green-haired girl was in front of him in moments, poking a slim, obviously manicured finger into his chest plate.

"How dare you try to walk away from I, Martina, and her King, Zangulus!" Martina declared, wearing the usual ridiculous get up, smirking at him overconfidently, "Especially after we've traveled all of this way and find you of all people Gourry!"

"Eh?" Gourry said, blinking in confusion once more.

"Why don't we get some breakfast?" Zangulus offered, walking around Gourry to stand beside Martina, "I think we need to catch up on some things…"

Gourry sighed, realizing there was no way out of this one. So he nodded, allowing Martina to drag him to the Tavern he just left, his mind getting lost in thoughts of Lina once more.

A low chuckle echoed through the shadows as malicious eyes watched the blonde swordsman accept the invitation from the irritating Princess and her newly crowned King. He didn't realize how lucky he was to still be breathing. That monster was supposed to slaughter him. It was created just for that purpose. To kill Gourry Gabriev.

But alas, when it seemed his final moments were upon him, the other man with the ridiculous straw hat appeared, and together they slayed his minion.

It really didn't matter in the end. One of these times, the swordsman's luck will run out. Thank L-sama he wasn't the brightest person around, or he would've caught on to everything by now.

It only made this more enjoyable.

The eyes watched as the unlikely group entered the tavern Gourry had just left, chuckling once more. Oh, how easy it would be, to simply waltz into the tavern and kill them all.

But that was not the point of this. No, there was a much deeper meaning rooted in the center of this plan.

It was just unraveling the vines around the roots that seemed the most irritating task. But in the end, it would all pay off, when he held Lina Inverse's lifeless corpse in his arms.

After wasting twenty minutes on the trying to get the horse to allow Zelgadis to ride it, it finally gave, and the dynamic duo were on their way down the streets of Seyruun, heading for the nearest road out of Seyruun. The ride was a silent one, Amelia riding proudly ahead of Zelgadis as he trailed behind wearily, hoping the horse didn't decide to buck him off at any random moment.

But as they reached the City limits, he felt himself relaxing… and actually enjoying the ride. The silence had carried all the way to the edge of the city, and began to carry out through the empty roads. Quickly he found his mind working on possible answers as to why Lina suddenly disappeared. Maybe she was simply fed up with Gourry's lack of intelligence? He highly doubted that. Those two were a perfect pair; and Zel knew that sub-consciously they were both aware of this. Neither would admit it though, Gourry being to dimwitted too and Lina being too pig headed. So it had brought them to this odd ends.

But the question that seemed to be bothering him was why? Certainly it had nothing to do with their tolerance level for one another… Maybe this was a small little fight over a piece of food…

But that was hardly enough to make Lina Inverse THAT mad; to leave at least, so what was it.

The idea struck him like an arrow in the back of his head.

Sairaag.

Maybe something happened at Sairaag? It had to have been Sairaag…

But what about Sairaag? What could have possibly happened there to make Lina run from Gourry like she did?

She seemed so close to him before… she risked everything to save him before…

She casted the Giga Slave to save Gourry.

So why the hell was she abandoning him? Was she so blind to the fact Gourry needed her, and she needed him just as much in return? Every one who'd meant them within the past year had seen it. Even the Water Dragon King… or rather, the remnants of the great King, Auntie Aqua had seen it.

Wait.. maybe…

Just as the solution seemed within his reach, Amelia's voice brought him back to reality.

"Mister Zelgadis?" Amelia asked, her blue eyes staring widely up into his. He blinked, once more grateful to the stone skin for hiding his reddening face so well. How adorable Amelia looked when she was confused often made him blush; he was just to damned good to hide it. And even on those occasions he could not, generally Lina and Gourry would pull of another stupid charade, and the whole thing would either end up in a fight, or another crazy happening would occur, and Zelgadis would quickly forget all about what he was doing.

"Oh, I'm sorry Amelia." Zel said with a frown, "I suppose I just got lost in thought…"

"Ah, I see." Amelia nodded respectively, "Well, I hope I didn't interrupt you…"

Zel knew that tone of voice. It was the disappointed one.

"No, not at all." Zel said casually, hoping that he hadn't offended her, "I was simply thinking about Lina and Gourry…"

The topic seemed to pull her out of her depression. But it didn't help her mood.

"Oh, so I'm not the only one worrying over this then?" Amelia asked with a smile, and Zelgadis merely grunted his response, nodding his head.

"Good." She sighed, and for a few minutes, the pair rode in silence, seeming to be lost in their own thoughts.

"…I'm scared." Amelia admitted after a few minutes, nimbly playing with the reigns, "I never expected this to happen."

Zel nodded, but kept his responses the same as he always did, tugging reality into what really couldn't be anything but surreal.

"…You know, she might have gotten tired of him." He offered as they continued on. He almost didn't notice her horse has stopped. Instantly he stopped his, turning to glance back at her. But it appeared she had stopped her horse, simply to gaze up at the sky.

"Amelia?" He asked, before her blue eyes meant his with an intense stare.

"I don't believe that." She mumbled softly, looking down at the leather reigns that she now held tightly in her small hands. "Not at all…"

Zelgadis said nothing, speechless at her resolve. Though it may have been Amelia's justice loving side coming out, this time, it was deeper rooted, and it appeared she meant something more then just a silly ramble. It was clear the true belief written on her face. In fact, it made her look more beautiful then she usually did.

It took him a few moments to regain his voice, but when he did, he asked in a scratchy voice, "Why not?"

Once more, she looked up at him with her strong eyes, filled with nothing but pure faith. "Mister Gourry and Ms. Lina can't live without each other… They were… made for each other. I know Ms. Lina would never leave Mr. Gourry, not matter how angry she may be with him… So there's something else going on here behind the scenes… I just know it!" She said, her eyes never leaving his. His remained set in stone-quite literally-but on the inside, he yearned to pull her into his arms and comfort her, tell her she was right, and they would fix everything.

But he would never subject her to that. To having to deal with a monster in such a way. So silently he nodded, letting a crooked smile touch his lips. "I suppose your right…" He mumbled, "We may not know the exact reasons why this has happened, but I do think they need to be reunited soon."

He wasn't quite up to spilling his ideas out about Sairaag, though her already knew the young princess would happily agree with him. He wanted to evaluate more, pick out all of the little details, the clues he missed before. So when Amelia smiled softly at him, and pushed her horse forward, he did not blush at how beautiful she looked as she trotted past him, but instead focused on all of the events leading from the accident in Seyruun, all the way to the current situation now.

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Well, hope this one was better. XD Not much to say. Rate and reviews please. 3 You guys.


	4. AN

**Authors Note:**

GAH! I'm so sorry guy! Please forgive me!

Been extremely busy with state testing lately, leaving me unable to write a good next chapter. But all of the testing is FINALLY over, so I'm working my hardest to bring you a much better chapter of this story then the last three I've written.

And I promise to bring you the thing you've been waiting the most for. =D

PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

I just wanted you all to know I'm not abandoning the story on you guys!

I appreciate all the support and amazing comments you guys are giving me. I thank you all as well for the helpful critiques!

Thanks again guys.

_Aya_


	5. Companionless

* * *

Alrighty. HERE IT IS! CHAPTER FOUR! WHOOO!

*Collapses from over exhertion*

I hope this is better then my previous chapters. ^^;; I know the last one was pretty bad.

* * *

"_Lina! I need you!" The blond swordsman shouted desperately as he followed her into the chaotic nothingness. His hand grabbed for her, catching nothing but air. Fear was written all over his face as she followed her into the abyss, not seeming to care much for his own safely. He didn't even realize his armor had begun to deteriorate as he floated in high pursuit of her. She watched him with curious interest, the Lord of Nightmares never having seen such loyalty in a human before. She seemed even more interested when he didn't notice he was being stripped of his armor, his eyes locked only onto the girl's body as she was being taken away. But the thing that intrigued her the most was the fact they man gave up the sword of Goronova so easily. _

_But there was one more test to be issued._

_She began to leave more rapidly, watching with shock as the man pushed himself forward._

_And then he pierced through her shield simply by pushing on it. How amazed she became. And then, he had grabbed her vessel tightly, and she could feel the intense waves of emotion pouring from the desperate man's hands. The terrified look in his eyes, the painful way he watched her, demanding her return. _

_Emotionlessly she shut the vessel's eyes, before calling upon the chaos to take her. For a few moments after her departure, she lingered, watching the way the man stared at the empty space she had just preoccupied not moments ago, as if his whole world had been torn to shreds. This was the final straw as she made her decision. _

_She granted the man his request, watching with a smile as the two lovers shared an intimate kiss. _

_And now she was trying to share the forgotten memory with one of the lovers. But it seemed something blocked it from her mind, for just as they were about to kiss…_

"GOURRY!" The fiery red-headed sorceress screamed as she jolted away from her restless sleep, sweat covering her petite body. Her heart hammered in her chest as she trembled, tears streaming silently from her eyes. Damn it this was the third time this happened this week. With a weary sigh, she placed a small hand on her temple, hoping by massaging it; she might be able to head off the looming migraine that threatened to attack her.

Unfortunately, this tactic proved useless, as the throbbing pain hit her head not even a minute after she woke up. With a loud groan she swung her petite legs over the bedside, crossing then politely as a lady would and burying her head in her hands. "Damn it…"

This was insane. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get her ex-companion out of her head. Her hand still trembling, she wiped the tears from her face, thankful no one was around to see her weakness. Even though she was alone.

Or at least, companionless… She didn't exactly count the purple-haired devil spawn that popped in and out at random times just to rub this all in her face as a friend anymore. No, Xellos was a rather annoying pest that seemed to enjoy her pain more then anything else. So at times when she woke up crying or screaming Gourry's name like tonight, she was more then grateful to be alone, and not have to worry about the irritating, but at the same time painful comments the monster left her with, making her regret her painful decision so much.

But what choice did she have? She couldn't handle it. The emotions; the pain she felt whenever she saw his pain. The fear that consumed her whenever it seemed like she might have lost him. The love she felt for him every time she simply looked at him.

These were the things she feared most. Getting too attached. Not that she wasn't already, considering she was crying over a simple dream, but she would never admit it to herself, even though she already knew subconsciously. She was in love with Gourry Gabriev, and because of that emotion, she was unable to be anywhere near him.

Lina Inverse stood up slowly, her red eyes flickering to the window to check the time. Perfect, the sun was just beginning to rise. Just enough time to pay her dues to the Innkeeper and be on her way before the town got too busy with people that risked giving away her location. As if she were standing on ice, she moved slowly to the mirror over at the dresser, sitting nimbly on the delicate stool placed in front of it. Wordlessly she picked up the brush, carrying it through her fine red hair, taming the mess it had become due to her restless thrashing around in the bed. She tried not to dwell on the eerily familiar dream as she prepared herself for the day, finishing her hair up rather quickly before moving to her clothes.

Quickly she grabbed her typical black head band, tying it tightly around her forehead, underneath of her fiery bangs, thankful that she could at least feel partially like the old Lina Inverse, instead of this new cowardly one. The one that ran from her problems, instead of facing them head on.

There were a few things that had changed since her departure from her self-proclaimed guardian, mainly in her wardrobe. What other choice did she have? She was trying to hide from Gourry, not bait him to follow. And she knew wearing her typical outfit that immediately donned her as a Sorceress was simply asking for him to find her.

So her outfit had taken a much more… subtle tone. Not that it mattered any. She wasn't trying to impress anyone like she was before.

So when she dressed in her traveling clothes, pulling the black tunic over her head, tugging at it to flatten it out, she hardly noticed the low V-cut that had began to extend from her once flat chest. (Sadly, it seemed after the defeat of Hellmaster, her breasts had begun to develop.) She slid into her brown pants, not caring much that they hugged her legs a little too tightly. She pulled on her black knee high boots carefully, lacing them up quickly. Unlike her previous outfit, she donned no shoulder pads, simply pulling on a black hooded cape. It worked wonders whenever traveling through a large crowd. She'd even gone as far as to purchase a cape with a black mask on it, making it exactly identical to the tan cape Zelgadis worked. And to top the new attire on, her old white gloved had been replaced with black fingerless gloves that extended to her elbows, making her seem like a simple traveler, instead of an all powerful Sorceress.

The only things that could have given her identity away were her fiery hair. She took great pride in her hair, and had refused to change it even a small bit, thus resulting in the hooded cape. The other lied on her belt, where the power amplifier she stole from Xellos not to long ago remained in its usual spot. If handled correctly, these were two very small problems. But Lina had made sure to take the necessary repercussions to ensure she would not be found, using the black hood as the perfect hide away for her hair, and simply pulling the black cap around her to hide her belt.

After getting dressed for the day she grabbed the small leather pouch she carried around and tied it to her belt. She grabbed her small dagger, sliding it through her belt as well, before heading out.

Just as she predicted, the payment process was fairly quick. The Innkeeper was rather friendly that day, and had accepted her payment without protest, not seeming to mind she was simply a few gold pieces off. He kept her in conversation for a few minutes, before the first customer of the day slipped in, and Lina was able to tuck out of the Inn with a soft smile. Knowing she was heading immediately for the road, she didn't bother putting up the hood to hide her hair. The chances of someone knowing her in this town were slim to none. She's chosen the perfect town to rest in, a hardly known town full of close neighbors that hardly saw strangers like her. It was so unknown, she'd forgotten the name of it the moment she walked it. Not that the name mattered much, it wasn't like she was going back ever.

Her destination lied somewhere outside of the border that had been broken after Hellmaster's defeat. News of the broken barrier had spread quickly, but it seemed not too many people were eager to head outside into the unknown. How pathetic.

_These people don't know what their missing. _Was Lina's immediate response after holding a conversation a few days earlier with a man standing beside her at a fruitstand. Many of the other customers looked at her as if she were insane, which at this point in time, she wasn't denying. The rumors had sparked her interest, for she knew the Outerlands were much larger then this land she'd lived in all of her life. So the chances of her actually being found out there were slim to none.

The perfect exile.

So engrossed in thought she hardly realized she was already on the road.

Though, she didn't have much more time to dwell on things, for Xellos showed up minutes later, just as he always did every morning. Though as irritating as he might have been, dealing with him generally helped to keep her mind from straying to Gourry, preventing her from wondering how he was, whether he was still searching for her, or had given up and finally crawled over to Sylphiel. Oddly enough, the thought of Sylphiel finally getting Gourry to herself made Lina's temper flare, despite the fact she knew she'd let him go. But just as this idea sunk into her head, Xellos popped up right behind her, floating down the road behind her with a devious smirk.

"So is there anything in particular you'd like to pester me about today, or are we going to keep things calm today?" Lina asked him causally, not bothering to glance back at him and check where his eyes were. Lately, she'd began to realized exactly how much Xellos watched her, as if he were a lion watched a deer, awaiting to pounce. But Lina wasn't sure what exactly he was watching for. She was fairly confident he was watching her in a way that would have bothered her any other time. But lately, she'd been caring less and less about how many people watched her walk by, because she'd began to realize how irrelevant they were now that the one person who she wanted to watch her was gone.

"Oh, I see somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Xellos commented with an amused tone, as if he were trying to get a rise out of her.

Lina shrugged carelessly.

"Or were you too busy screaming for that mindless jellyfish to get enough sleep?"

Damn it, the snide comments were starting early today. Fear and anger shot through her like a bullet, making her fists ball up tightly. She clenched her teeth, resisting the urge to Dragon Slave his ass straight to hell.

But she knew if she fed into it, she'd only provoke more.

Still, the fact he knew about her nightmares sent chills down her spine, not only due to the fact he knew how emotionally destroyed was she behind this tough mask she'd managed to build up.

But because the fact he was watching her.

Not that it completely surprised her. This was Xellos after all. A very strange monster indeed. But it bothered her. Not simply because he was watching her, and the very likely possibility he watched her completely, even while she was dressed was there. But because he was watching her, and he was one of the most powerful Monsters out there. And she was alone with him.

She had a vague idea she might have been able to take him, but she wasn't willing to risk it. Because she wasn't willing to use the Giga Slave, which she was sure she would have to use if she did ever fight him.

So she had no choice but to act cool, despite the raging urge to strangle him.

"Have you ever realized that people like you need to be locked up?" Lina replied with a simple scowl, determined not to show him her true emotions. For the main part, it worked. Xellos chuckled darkly.

"You know you're kind of sexy when you're angry." He replied, and Lina blushed at his remark.

"And you need mental help." Lina replied with a dark hiss, quickening her pace a bit. Xellos landed on his feet with a coy smirk, walking so his pace matched hers.

"Oh c'mon Lina! Lighten up a bit will you?" He said, walking beside her with a grin.

"…Why don't you just leave me be Xellos?" She asked with a sigh, stepping over a branched that had fallen into the pathway.

"And leave you traveling alone? What kind of person would I be of I did that?" Xellos asked, faking the appalled tone in his voice.

"You're a monster, not a person. There's a distanced difference." Lina replied quickly, using her as-a-matter-of-a-fact-tone. This resulted in a dark chuckle from the monster.

"Ah, this is a true statement indeed…" He said with an amused tone, beginning to hum to himself as he walked beside her. God did he know how to get under her skin…

The only noise now was the sound of his irritating humming as the two traveled the roads. This gave Lina time to evaluate her next move. She knew she was close to the borderline now. All she had to do was hop a ship that was brave enough to journey to the Outerlands, and hope it brought her far, far away from this place.

The problem was going to be finding a ship that was journeying there.

"So, you're really leaving the giant ape?"

The question caught her so off guard, her knees buckled as she walked, and she stumbled to regain herself. She stopped moving after that, her red eyes falling to the dirt path as Xellos walked by her causally. A few steps ahead, and he stopped, glancing back at her with a curious look.

"Gourry? Yes, I am." Lina replied casually, trying not to let the lump in her throat impair her speech.

"Why?" Xellos asked with a innocent tone, but as Lina gazed up at the monster, she noticed his eyes were watching her intensely, instantly making her uneasy.

"What's it to you?" She replied with a harsh tone, and Xellos chuckled darkly, disappearing.

For a moment, Lina blinked, wondering where he went, before she felt something tugging at her hair.

"What the hell-!"

"You know Lina, you'd be a great addition to the Monster race…" Xellos whispered in a dark voice, playing with a few strands of her hair. Lina blinked, stunned by his words, before she suddenly yanked away from him, storming off down the trail. The purple haired monster remained where he was standing, smirking deviously as he watched her go.

"Oh Lina, Lina, Lina…" Xellos said, shaking his head, "You really are one of a kind…" He spoke darkly, as if he were telling a crude personal joke. He stood there, continuing to watch her walk away, until she was merely a speck in the background.

Once more, he laughed darkly, before disappearing from the spot in a blur.

* * *

Heh, this one took a bit longer.

Hope I did better for you guys.

And I gave you the Lina you all so longed to see, XD.


	6. Another Authors Note

Hello guys!

I'm back and ready to write again! ^-^ I'm sorry I disappeared for so long. My senior of high school was such a pain in the butt.. and I was so focused with getting ready for college this fall I've COMPLETELY forgotten about my fanfiction here…

(Not to mention, my added obsession with Fate Stay/Night and Soul Eater… ^-^' )

Before I get into this though, I have a question…

Would you like me to continue this story? I know it's been a while… and looking back on my grammar?

Ahahah.. It needs a bit of work.

But if you want me too.. I am SO willing to get this back up..

And a possible few more fanfictions thrown into the mix.

But I'm only going to do it, if you want me too.

So please, let me know what you think of Slayers: Alone.

It may take a bit… I need to catch up on Slayers… But like I said.. I'll do it If you want me too.

Your comments prior really made me want to do this again.. But if it's worthless.. let me know now.

And I'll try to come up with something better.. ^-^


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